Taoist thought: Rest

Appearing means life disappearing means death thirteen are the followers of life thirteen are the followers of death but people living to live join the land of death's thirteen and why because they live to live its said that those who guard life well aren't injured by soldiers in battle or harmed by rhinos or tigers in the wild for rhinos have nowhere to sink their horns tigers have nowhere to sink their claws and solders have nowhere to sink their blades and why because for them there is no land of death daodejing #50 translated by Red Pine The year's end is coming I feel great contentment. Completion means rest. Rest means renewal. Renewal means new beginnings. Perseverance is a great virtue, but perseverance cannot be cultivated without endings. Perseverance does not mean an endless engagement in Sisyphean tasks. It means beginnings, middles, and ends, and then starting over again. We are nearing the end of our year, but we could not contemplate this ending without having gone through the completions of all the days and months that have come before. It's good to look toward the end of things. Not only does it provide perspective, but it also provides the stepping-stone to our next endeavor. When things end, it should ideally mean the attainment of our goals. We should start everything with a definite goal in mind; otherwise our lives will lack purpose . Once we attain our goals, we should be glad and rest. We need the time for our psyches to absorb the significance of our acts. With rest comes renewal, and with renewal we can build the force of our characters and thereby stand stronger for our futures. In the countryside farmers frequently nap in their carts of hay as their mules automatically take them back home. They know how to make achievements and rest at the same time! rest Deng Ming-Dao 365 Tao Daily Meditations ISBN 0-06--250223-9 "RebA WArhOL" © 2006 lisbethwest don't forget our new message board! New topic for discussion: when do you find yourself renewing for the "new year"? is it gregorian new year, lunar new year, the new semester ... ? for a short reading list of Taoist and Zen material, please go to http://www.duckdaotsu.org/tao_books.html (duckdaotsu receives a small monetary contribution when books are purchased from that location) to subscribe to daily Taoist meditations send an email to duckdaotsu write SUBSCRIBE TAO in the subject line archived at http://www.duckdaotsu.org/nov06/rest.html visit my online shop! at http://www.cafepress.com/duckdaotsu request any graphic you see here to be used on any item in the online store or as a photographic print for framing please help support the daily Taoist thought click to continue to paypal site! or subscribe monthly $5 to assist with out monthly expenses! if you would prefer to mail a check or momey order, please write to me for the address. (donations are NOT required to receive email daoist thought )